Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is additional funding to help close the attainment gap between children of low income and other disadvantaged children and their peers. Leigh Academy Blackheath rigorously monitors all student groups, including all vulnerable groups, to ensure they achieve positive outcomes. We have a wide range of student interventions and transition processes that collectively contribute to closing this attainment gap.

The Sutton Trust are a nationally recognised organisation that have produced a toolkit for schools to review and evaluate their work with these students. The toolkit reviews national research outcomes for 21 suggested approaches, compares cost against impact, and allows schools to review their current arrangements and suggest recommendations for the future. To view our analysis based on the Sutton Trust Toolkit please click on the table below:

PUPIL PREMIUM 2018-2019

Introduction

In 2011/2012 schools were allocated Pupil Premium (PP) funding to address inequalities between pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) or had been looked after continuously for six months, and their wealthier peers by ensuring that the funding reaches the pupils who need it most.

From April 2012 the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) was extended to include pupils who had been eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years. Additionally, our pupils who are Children in Care are entitled to Pupil Premium Plus funding along with children adopted from Local Authority Care.

We are currently funded at the following rate:

£935 per pupil of secondary-school age

£300 per pupil whose parent(s) are currently serving in the Armed Forces

£2300 per pupil for looked-after children who:

have been looked after for 1 day or more;

are adopted;

leave care under a Special Guardianship order or a Residence Order.

Leigh Academy Blackheath has the freedom to allocate PP grant as it deems necessary to raise attainment and broaden aspirations for disadvantaged or other vulnerable students. For looked-after pupils allocation of funding and the expenditure is managed and allocated by the local authority who that pupil is under.

Our rationale

At Leigh Academy Blackheath we ensure that all students have the opportunity to make excellent progress and succeed. Our small schools structure allows us to have a personalised provision that is not only linked to aspects of achievement in the classroom, but also attendance, aspiration and wider experiences. We therefore use the PPG strategically to support disadvantaged students to ensure that they ‘achieve beyond expectations.’ At present 40% of our students receive PPG funding, 14.36% of our students are defined as the most disadvantaged.

Educational Barriers faced by disadvantaged students

The main educational barriers that disadvantaged students at Leigh Academy Blackheath face are outlined below and each is targeted within our spending and actions table 2018/19.